1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is generally related to methods of treating diabetes by administering agents capable of decreasing serum glucose levels. In particular, the field of the invention is methods of treating type I diabetes by administering agents capable of blocking, inhibiting, or ameliorating VEGF-mediated activity.
2. Description of Related Art
Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes is widely accepted as an animal model for human type I diabetes (see, for example, Susztak et al. (2004) Diabetes 53:784-794).
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been recognized as a primary stimulus of angiogenesis in pathological conditions. Approaches to methods of blocking VEGF are described, for example, in PCT WO/0075319 which describes a VEGF-specific fusion protein which binds and inhibits VEGF.